Looking Back and Moving Foward
by Untouchable Lullaby
Summary: Mai tells her daughter about the events from her past and she wonders how the people are living their lives. Summary sucks! Makes more sense after you read.


**Note: I have changed Mai's age to 19 when she was in the show.**

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It was a beautiful afternoon. Mai sat on her porch watching her children run and play with each other like the world was at peace. They could last forever just running around but after a few hours Mai's only daughter Phoenix came up to her. Phoenix looked just like her mother when she was fourteen, the only difference was that Phoenix had a darker shade of purple eyes than her mother.

"What are you thinking about Mum?" Her precious daughter asked.

"I'm thinking about when I played duel monsters."

"That card game? Why?" Phoenix had a quizzical look on her young face.

"Because you remind me of them. The people I knew." Mai responded.

Mai had never returned to Joey and the rest of her friends because she knew that even if they did forgive her, she could never forgive herself for the heartache she had caused them by joining Dartz especially Joey.

"You never told me about them, those people you used to duel with. Will you please?" Phoenix got a hopeful look in her eyes and a small smile on her face.

"Well there was Yugi-"

"The King of Games?" Exclaimed Phoenix.

"Yes," Laughed Mai. "There was also Yami but I might tell you about him later, his story is kind of complicated. Then there was his cheerleader Teá. She was the Queen of Pep Talks. They actually liked each other but they both seemed oblivious to it." Mai started to wonder _Did they actually find out in the end?_

"I think your right mum," Mai looked at her daughter confused. "I remember reading an article about how the King of Games has been married for a couple of years and if he suits married life."

Mai smiled at that thought. _He did it. He married her. If only I hung around to see that. _She began to feel a wave of sadness over her. _I miss them..._

"There also was Tristan, he was kind of like the support crew like Tea. Then there was Bakura. He was nice and had a British accent." Mai smiled. "Serenity. She was like a little sister to me. The Kaiba brothers but you know them..."

"Yes! I know them from television. Seto always seems to have a dramatic entrance." Phoenix said as she looked over at her baby brother. "Hey, baby bro be careful of that hose!" She yelled as she got up and ran from her mothers side to her brothers.

_If only you knew about Joey. _Mai smiled sadly as she watched her children.

Two years after she went to rebuild her life, she gave birth to Phoenix when she was 21 years old. When Phoenix was ten, she gave birth to her son. Mai's husband was Charles Grey. He was an author who had lived in Germany before moving to America with Mai. Sadly after Mai's boy was a year old Charles died after crashing his car and wrapping it around a pole. Mai later moved her family to England and now they live in a nice countryside with an amazing view of fields and a very old wooden windmill but still lived close to London.

The sun began to set as Mai stood up and entered her house to cook dinner. Phoenix looked over at her baby brother and said "Come on Joey. Lets go help mummy." She grabbed her baby's brothers hand and led him inside.

**The next afternoon.**

Mai once again sat on her porch and watched her little Joey play in the sun. Mai did that everyday. She didn't want her children to become like her. She wanted them to be free, the way she could never be. While Mai was thinking Phoenix sat down beside her with a piece of paper in her hands.

"Hey, you never told me about Joey Wheeler." She smiled.

Mai turned her head and looked at her baby girl and felt tears burning in her eyes. "I didn't because you would think I'm someone terrible." The first tear fell.

"It's okay Mum," Phoenix grabbed Mai's hand. "It is ancient history. I did do an internet search on those people you talked about. Serenity married not so long ago, a year or two. Same with Tristan."

"What about Joey?" Mai's head was full of thoughts _Please tell me he ended up alright._

"He married too. He has a son but his wife died just like Dad did. In an accident."

Mai couldn't help but feel even sadder. _Why would she be telling me this? _"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because deep down you needed to know that they were okay and they are." Mai looked away from her daughter and stared at the windmill. "Mum, you are just like that windmill you know," Mai continued to stare away from her child. "You can get beat up by the most wildest storm but in the end you just keep on going. Just like that windmill when that terrible storm came and almost tore that thing apart, the next day it was still going. It bounced back."

"That's sweet honey but I think it's time for you and your brother to make some dinner." Smiled Mai sadly.

"Yes Mum. Hey Joey! Time to get cooking!" Little Joey came running as fast as his toddler legs could take him and his sister picked him up in one swift move. "Oh and one more thing, I want you to have this Mum." Phoenix used her free hand and gave her mother that piece of paper and walked inside.

Mai looked down at her hands and opened the paper and on the paper was written:

_Serenity Taylor neė Wheeler_

_Address: 136 Leon St, Domino, Japan_

Mai looked down a little further and saw Serenity's phone number. _She married Tristan...her phone number?_

"Could I..." Mai said out loud and quickly looked up at the windmill and remembered her daughters words. _It bounced back. _"I guess she looked through my old stuff and found my diary." Mai laughed. "She wants me to return to Joey. To bounce back. Time to stop looking back and start moving ahead."

Mai picked up the phone she always kept with her and put in the number. The phone began to ring. _I wonder how much she had changed? I missed her grow up._

"_Hello Serenity Taylor speaking."_

"Hello Serenity. My name is Mai Grey."

"_Mai Grey? I'm sorry, I don't know anyone by that name."_

"Are you sure?" Mai could feel herself smile.

"_Wait. Mai? As in Mai from Battle City." Serenity sounded hopeful._

"Yes. It's Mai. Mai Valentine."

- The End -

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_**We should regret our mistakes and learn from them, but never carry them forward into the future with us. - Lucy Maud Montgomery**_


End file.
